86 KG: Men’s Freestyle 2019 World Championship Preview

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Yazdani looks primed to return to world champion form and reclaim the title of the greatest. But who in the bracket has the best chance of challenging the Iranian terror and could we see the emergence of another young talented Russian who puts a stranglehold on the weight for years to come? Read below to find out. 

Title Contenders:

#1 Hassan Yazdani Charati (IRI)- 2015 70 KG world runner-up, 2016 74 KG Olympic champ, 2017 86 KG world champ, 2018 world bronze, 2018 Asian games champ, 2019 Dan Kolov champ. Key Wins: Aniuar Geduev (2016 Olympic finals), Bekzod Abdurakhmanov (2016 Medved), Kamran Ghasempour (2018 Iranian world team trials), Alireza Karimimachiani (2017 Iranian world team trials), Khetik Tsabolov (2016 world cup), Ali Shabanov (2019 Dan Kolov finals), Soner Demirtas (2016 Medved), Boris Makoev (2017 world finals), Vladislav Valiev (2017 world semis), Dauren Kurugliev (2018 world bronze medal match). Key Losses: David Taylor (2017 world cup, 2018 world’s), Ali Shabanov (2016 Grand Prix of Paris), Khetik Tsabolov (2016 Medved finals), Magomedrasul Gazimagomedov (2015 70 KG world finals), Gadzhimurad Rashidov (2011 55 KG Cadet world finals).

#2 Artur Naifonov (RUS)- 2019 Russian national champ, 2019 Ziolkowski champ, 2018 European Champ, 2018 Yarygin bronze 2018 European champ, 2019 Ali Aliev champ, 2018 U-23 world runner-up, 2017 Alans champ Key Wins: Dauren Kurugliev (2018 Yarygin, 2019 Ali Aliev finals), Alikhan Zhabrailov (2018 Yarygin), Vladislav Valiev (2017 Alans finals, 2018 Dan Kolov, 2019 Russian national finals), Fatih Erdin (2018 European championships, 2019 Ziolkowski), Zbigniew Baranowski (2019 Ziolkowski finals, 2018 European championships), Shamil Kudiyamagomedov (2018 Euros, 2018 Dan Kolov) Key Losses: David Taylor (2018 Yarygin), Dauren Kurugliev (2018 Russian nationals finals), Kamran Ghasempour (2018 U-23 world finals), Shamil Kudiyamagomedov (2017 Russian nationals), Soslan Ktsoev (2017 Russian Nationals repechage).

With returning world champion David Taylor of the United States out due to an injury suffered at Grapple at the Garden against University of Northern Iowa’s 184 LB national champ Drew Foster, 2x World/Olympic champ Hassan Yazdani Charati looks ready to take back his spot as the Greatest. So far the talented Iranian won the Dan Kolov this year over #7 Ali Shabanov (BLR). #2 Artur Naifonov (RUS) rebounded from a disappointing ending to 2018 that saw him lose in the U-23 world finals to #3 Kamran Ghasempour and fail to place at the Alans due to a loss to Slavik Naniev by winning the Ali Aliev, Russian Nationals, and the Ziolkowski in impressive fashion. Naifonov’s undefeated year has seen him best the likes of #4 Dauren Kurugliev, #5 Vladislav Valiev, #6 Zbigniew Baranowski, #9 Arsenali Musalaliev, and #11 Fatih Erdin (TUR).

Medal Contenders:

#6 Zbigniew Baranowski (POL)- 2019 Ziolkowski runner-up, 2019 92 KG European championships runner-up, 2018 Ziolkowski champ, 2017 Intercontinental Cup runner-up Key Wins: Alexander Gostiev (2019 Ali Aliev), Dauren Kurugliev (2019 Ziolkowski semis), Alikhan Zhabrailov (2017 Kadyrov Cup), Murad Suleymanov (2018 Kadyrov Cup), Magomed Kurbanov (2017 Intercontinental Cup semis), Akhmed Magamaev (2019 European Championships) Key Losses: Dauren Kurugliev (2018 world’s, 2019 European games), Myles Amine (2019 European Games repechage), Zushen Lin (2019 Ali Aliev), Artur Naifonov (2018 European Championships), J’den Cox (2017 world’s), Sharif Sharifov (2016 Olympics, 2019 92 KG European Championships finals). 

#7 Ali Shabanov (BLR)-4x world bronze medalist (‘13,’14,’17,’18), 2019 Dan Kolov runner-up, 2019 European championships bronze medalist, 2019 European Games runner-up. Key Wins: Hassan Yazdani Charati (2016 Grand Prix of Paris finals), Fatih Erdin (2019 European Games quarters), Murad Suleymanov (2019 European Championships bronze medal match), Bekzod Abdurakhmanov (2017 world bronze medal match), Dato Marsagishvili (2019 Indian Pro League), Irakli Mtsituri 92019 Indian Pro League), Soner Demirtas (2013 world’s), Sosuke Takatani (2017 world’s repechage) Key Losses: Jordan Burroughs (2013 world’s, 2017 world’s), Hassan Yazdani Charati (2019 Dan Kolov finals), Vladislav Valiev (2019 European Championships), Dauren Kurugliev (2019 European Games finals), Jabrayil Hasanov (2018 79 KG world’s).

#8 Sosuke Takatani (JPN)- 2014 74 KG world runner-up, 2015 Ziolkowski runner-up. Key Wins: Fatin Erdin (2019 world cup), Yurieski Torreblanca (2019 World Cup), Murad Gaidarov (2014 world’s), Jumber Kvelashvili (2014 world’s), Livan Lopez Azcuy (2014 world’s). Key Losses: Jordan Burroughs (2017 world’s), Atsamaz Sanakoev (2017 Yarygin), Radik Valiev (2017 Yarygin repechage), Aniuar Geduev (2015 world’s), Denis Tsargush (2014 world finals).

#11 Fatih Erdin (TUR)- 2018 world silver medalist, 2018 Yarygin runner-up, 2019 Yarygin runner-up, 2019 European championships bronze, 2019 European Games 5th, 2019 Ziolkowski bronze. Key Wins: Vladislav Valiev (2018 Yarygin, 2019 Yarygin, 2018 Tbilisi GP), Selim Yasar (2018 Medved), Taimuraz Friev (2018 world’s), Boris Makoev (2018 world’s). Key Losses: David Taylor (2018 world finals, 2018 Yarygin finals), Murad Suleymanov (2018 Yasar Dogu), Ali Shabanov (2019 European Games quarters), Akhmed Dudarov (2019 European Games bronze medal match), Piotr Ianulov (2019 European championships), Artur Naifonov (2018 European Championships, 2019 Ziolkowski semis), Dauren Kurugliev (2019 Yarygin finals).

#16 Myles Amine (SMR)- 2019 European Games bronze medalist. Key Wins: Alexander Gostiev (2019 European Games bronze medal match), Zbigniew Baranowski (2019 European Games repechage), Sandro Aminashvili (2019 European Championships). Key Losses: Dauren Kurugliev (2019 European Games), Ali Shabanov (2019 European Championships repechage), Vladislav Valiev (2019 European championships)

A pair of bumped up 79 kilogram wrestlers look to be some of the top medal contenders at the weight as #7 Ali Shabanov of Belarus and #8 Sosuke Takatani of Japan look to bring serious firepower to the weight. Shabanov and Takatani wrestled in the repechage of the 2017 74 KG world championships and it was Shabanov who emerged victorious. So far this year, Shabanov has wrestled at the Indian Pro League and taken silver at the Dan Kolov and the European Games and a bronze medal at the European championships. The talented Belarusian has notched wins over the likes of #7(92) Dato Marsagishvili, #11 Fatih Erdin, #16 Myles Amine, and #13 Murad Suleymanov. Takatani, to his credit has transitioned up very well to 86 KG beating returning world runner-up #11 Fatih Erdin of Turkey and Pan-Am Games champ #19 Yurieski Torreblanca of Cuba at the world cup.

#6 Zbigniew Baranowski, the 92 KG European championships runner-up stunned #4 Dauren Kurugliev in the semifinals of the Ziolkowski to make the finals opposite of #2 Artur Naifonov who notched his second win over the surging Pole to go along with the victory earned at the 2018 European championships. Baranowski has had strong wins over #4 Dauren Kurugliev, #4(92) Alikhan Zhabrailov, #12 Alexander Gostiev, and #13 Murad Suleymanov but taken losses this year in the form of #3(92) Sharif Sharifov, Zushen Lin,  #2 Artur Naifonov, #16 Myles Amine and #4 Dauren Kurugliev. The returning world runner-up #11 Fatih Erdin (TUR) has had an up and down year with bronze medal finishes at the Ziolkowski and European championships, a runner-up finish at the Yarygin and taking 5th at the European Games. Erdin did get his third win over European champ #6 Vladislav Valiev at the Yarygin this year but other then that the year he’s had has been marked by inconsistency and losses in the form of #7 Ali Shabanov, #18 Akhmed Dudarov, #4 Dauren Kurugliev, #2 Artur Naifonov, #8 Sosuke Takatani, and #14 Piotr Ianulov. Myles Nazem Amine, a 3x All-American for the University of Michigan at 174, has looked great while competing for San Marino Islands. Amine put on his best performance to date at the European championships where he defeated #6 Zbigniew Baranowski in repechage and 3x European runner-up #12 Alexander Gostiev for bronze. Amine’s only losses this year have been to #4 Dauren Kurugliev, #6 Vladislav Valiev, and #7 Ali Shabanov.

Dark Horse:

#12 Alexander Gostiev (AZE)- 3x European championships runner-up (‘16,’17,’18), 2017 world 5th, 2019 Yasar Dogu champ, 2017 Ali Aliev runner-up, 2017 Tbilisi GP champ, 2017 Viktor Semenov tournament champ Key Wins: Selim Yasar (2016 European Championships, 2017 European Championships), Batyrbek Tsakulov (2017 Semenov), Zbigniew Baranowski (2017 European Championships). Key Losses: Hassan Yazdani Charati (2017 world’s), Vladislav Valiev (2017 world bronze medal match), Dauren Kurugliev (2017 European championships finals, 2019 European Games), Myles Amine (2019 European Games bronze medal match).

A 3x European championships runner-up from 2016-2018, Gostiev, a North-Ossetian transfer made his return to competition at the Ali Aliev in May where he lost to #6 Zbigniew Baranowski, and would place fifth at the European Games in June losing to #4 Dauren Kurugliev and #16 Myles Amine. It wasn’t until the Yasar Dogu in July where he would defeat 2018 Yasar Dogu runner-up #13 Murad Suleymanov (AZE) and junior world champ Deepak Punia (IND).

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